Final Flashcards
Bonds such as hydrogen and van Der waals are very weak yet critical for living organisms. Why?
H+ bonds hold H2O molecules together & living organisms need water to survive. H+ bonds also hold the structure of DNA together and makes structure of proteins. Although weak, multiple van der Waals interactions can work together in a larger number resulting in critical response and actions. Ex. gecko walking straight up a wall- interactions between foot molecules and wall molecules are so numerous that in spite of individual weakness, together can support.
What is the difference between adhesion and cohesion?
Adhesion: the clinging of one substance to another, such as water to plant cell walls by means of hydrogen bonding.
Cohesion: the linking together of like molecules, often by hydrogen bonds.
Discuss 2 of the properties of water that are created by H+ bonds. How do H+ bonds make these properties possible?
Ability to moderate temperature, cohesive behavior, expansion upon freezing, and versatility as a solvent
Expansion: water molecules are ordered, making the solid form less dense➡️ice flowers on water. Hydrogen bonds break absorbing heat. Hydrogen bonds form- releasing heat(what happens) the bonds are aligned and formed
Mod. Temp: water has high specific heat due to the hydrogen bonding- hydrogen bonds break-absorb heat and hydrogen bonds forem- realease heat. So, water and its bonds help moderate temperature on land by absorbing warm heat from air and then releasing the stored heat to colder air. Water can absorb a large amount of heat while only changing its own heat slightly.
What is the relationship between pH and pOH?
The relationship between pH and pOH is an inverse relationship. pH and pOH measure the acidity and basicity of anything. pH measures acids, pOH- bases. The higher the pH the more basic, the lower the pH the more acidic. Need to maintain a a constant pH(pOH) level.
Glucose bonded together can form 3 different polymers (cellulose, glycogen, and starch) explain why this is possible.
It happens because when glucose monomers bond, they form glycosidic linkages. These linkages form three different polymers.
Cellulose- is beta, so the OH(hydroxyls) on the rings alternate down, up
Glycogen- is branched, whereas the other two are unbranched.
Starch- is alpha, the OH are in the same direction, all point down
Describe the properties of phospholipids that makes them able to form a bilayer that is the main component of cell plasma membranes.
The head is polar, so it loves water. The tails are nonpolar, hate water. The heads and lipids align themselves addocrdingly- heads on the outside, nearer to water, and tails inside away from water
List and deceive the four levels of organization of proteins.
Primary: it’s a sequence of amino acids, peptide bonds
Secondary: hydrogen bonds, form coils and folds, alpha helix and/or beta pleated sheet
Tertiary: some hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, and Van der Waals interactions; also disulfide bonds which are covalent bonds (hydrophobic); determined by various side chains-R groups
Quadaniary: two or more polypeptides form the one macromolecule, forms tight, coiled but specific shape.
(Hemoglobin has 2alpha and 2 beta chains with iron in the center)
Support or disprove the following statement: proteins are the most important type of substances for animals.
I support the statement that proteins are the most important type of substances in animals because proteins have so many diverse functions that without them, animals wouldn’t be able to survive. Proteins function in transportation, defense, enzymatic, storage, structure, and hormones
Why is it important to understand basic chemical principles while understanding biology?
Chemistry and chemicals are a part of every foundation of life. All life has chemistry and physics laws that apply to it. For example: gravity, electromagnetism, and forces for physics. For chemistry: bonds are involved in the very bases of life: DNA is structured on hydrogen bonds and the nucleotide bases are made of chemicals. All matter, all life are made of elements, thus when studying biology, you should understand basic chemistry principles
Discuss the emergent properties of proteins
As you recombine atoms you get unique properties
In eukaryotes the RNA transcript is modified before it moves to the cytosol. Discuss two different modifications of RNA
Splicing: modifying the RNA so the introns are removed and exonerated are joined
Capping: add a cap on the 5 end of the RNA
